1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a rotary shift selecting apparatus for a vehicle connected to a transmission of an engine mounted to the vehicle for changing a shift position of the transmission.
2. Prior Art
Conventionally, a three-wheeled or four-wheeled straddle type vehicle for example includes a transmission such as an automatic transmission mounted to an engine, and a shift selecting apparatus for changing a shift position of the transmission.
As a conventional example of a vehicle having such a shift selecting apparatus, one having a structure shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 is known.
In these drawings, the vehicle designated with a symbol 1 is a four-wheel straddle type vehicle.
This vehicle 1 includes a vehicle body frame 2, front wheels 3 mounted to opposite sides of a front portion of the vehicle body frame 2, rear wheels 4 mounted to opposite sides of a rear portion of the vehicle body frame 2 and provided upper portions of the front portion of the vehicle body frame 2, a steering wheel 5 for steering the front wheels 3, a fuel tank 6 disposed behind the steering wheel 5, a seat 7 mounted behind the fuel tank 6, front fenders 8 provided such as to cover upper portions of the,front wheels 3, and rear fenders 9 provided such as to cover upper portions of the rear wheels 4. As shown in FIG. 4, brakes 10 and 11 are mounted to opposite ends of the steering wheel 5 for braking the vehicle 1.
An engine 12 having a transmission (not shown) comprising an automatic transmission and the like is mounted below the fuel tank 6 and the seat 7. A shift selecting apparatus 13 connected to the transmission is disposed on the side of the fuel tank 6.
As shown in FIG. 5, the shift selecting apparatus 13 comprises a base body 14, an operating rod 15 rotatably mounted to the base body 14 for operating the shift selecting apparatus 13. A bellows boot 16 is mounted between the operating rod 15 and the base body 14 such as to cover a clearance therebetween.
The operating rod 15 is provided therein with various mechanisms for limiting the operating modes (such as reverse lock mechanism) of the operating rod 15 in some cases. In order protect these mechanisms in the operating rod 15 from water and the like, a protecting cover is mounted to the operating rod 15, an O-ring or the like is mounted between the protecting cover and the operating rod 15 to prevent water from entering into the protecting cover.
In such a,conventional shift selecting apparatus 13, since there exist the boot 16 between the operating rod 15 and the base body 14, oscillation range of the operating rod 15 is limited. Further, when the operating rod 15 is operated, the elasticity of the boot 16 acts as resistance against the operation, and there is a problem that the operating feeling becomes firm.
Further, in the case of the water-proofing structure in which the operating rod 15 is provided with the protecting cover, and the O-ring is provided between the protecting cover and the operating rod 15, not only the number of parts is increased, but also the number of assembling steps is increased.
The present invention has been accomplished in view of the above conventional problems, and it is an object of the invention to provide a rotary shift selecting apparatus for a vehicle capable of obtaining excellent operability while securing the liquid-proof ability.
To achieve the above object, according to claim 1 of the present invention, there is provided a rotary shift selecting apparatus for a vehicle comprising a base body mounted to a vehicle frame, and a rotor rotatably mounted to a supporting shaft fixed to the base body for selecting shift, wherein an annular fitting portion which is coaxial of the supporting shaft is formed between the base body and the rotor, and an annular seal material is interposed between the fitting portion and a passing-through portion of the supporting shaft of the rotor.
According to claim 2 of the invention, in the rotary shift selecting apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 1, an operating rod is integrally mounted to a side portion of the rotor along its radial direction, a shift knob whose surface is covered with a protecting cover is mounted to a tip end of the operating rod through a predetermined length thereof, the protecting cover is formed with an insertion port to which the operating rod is inserted, the insertion port is formed at its inner face with a perimeter projection which is brought into contact under pressure with a front perimeter of an outer peripheral surface of the operating rod.